Saturday, June 29, 2013

The Curtis R3C was designed to raced in two configurations, on wheels (R3C-1) and on floats (R3C-2). Above, pilot James (Jimmy) H. Doolittle with his R3C-2, winners of the 1925 Schneider Cup race held in Baltimore Maryland that year.

Below, a week earlier after winning the Pulitzer race, the same airplane in R3C-1 form with pilot Lt. Cyrus Bettis. On a 100km course he also piloted the plane to 249.342 mph, a new world speed record. The plane was tiny, 20 feet long with a 20 foot wingspan and weighed under 2200 lb. The watercooled V12 produced over 600 hp. The airplane is still around, on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

Seen at a local auction. See the Wikipedia entry for more information on this bike. Since it was French, I think that the white plastic container on the side was for wine.See The Solix at Salbris for more information on the machine.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Barr & Stroud were the first British company to build sleeve valve engines for non-vehicle application, based on the Burt McCallum patent. The valve was designed to rotate and reciprocate between the piston and the cylinder barrel. Sleeve valve engines held an advantage over poppet valves in the early years but the reciprocating mass restricted engine speed to about 3000 rpm. The company began production of this engine just after WW1 as a stopgap measure when demand slowed for their regular business of telescope and optical equipment. As this business returned to normal, engine production tailed off and by 1926 had ceased completely.

Rock City Tobacco was started in 1899, producing the Craven A and Sportsman Brands. It was bought by Rothmans in 1963, then Rothmans, Benson & Hedges in 1986. As for King George's Navy chewing tobacco, how could anyone resist "Moist, tough, full-flavoured"?

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

In 1910 the Tudhope carriage company of Orillia On. teamed up with the Metzger Motor Car Co. of Detroit to produce a Canadian version of their Everitt 30.Production started in 1911 but the high price point resulted in poor sales. By WW1 the venture was finished and the last few cars were converted to ambulances for the military. From the Globe and Mail.

Published in 1903, two volumes on the steel square would certainly seem to qualify as "exhaustive." Nevertheless, in the hands of a skilled craftsman, this tool could be very versatile. You also needed to be able to handle the math.

I was given my copy by a friend, but you can read the book online. Fred Hodgson was born in Duntroon, Ontario but spent much of his life in Collingwood, writing his many technical books on architecture and house building. There he bought and remodeled a beautiful house for his son, who was a circus agent. (John Ringling spent the off-season in this Ontario town.)

Hodgson also produced various house plans which were available for purchase, ranging from plans for simple houses for those with limited means, to quite impressive residences. A House Plan Supplement was included in his Steel Square book, with several examples reproduced below.

The book was published by Frederick J. Drake, a Chicago publishing house which specialized in "self-educational" books.